TEACHER SLIMED A fundraising challenge put one local teacher in a sticky situation. News, etc., B1
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2021
VOLUME 170 • ISSUE 26 | 75¢
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EDC moved into red tier Tahoe Daily Tribune El Dorado County on Tuesday was moved into the less restrictive red tier of the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy. Starting Wednesday indoor dining is allowed at 25% capacity, gyms can open at 10% capacity, retailers can open at 50% capacity and movie theaters can reopen at 25% capacity, among other eased restrictions. “We’re very happy about the news that El Dorado County will move from the most restrictive purple tier where we’ve been since November to the red tier, which literally opens the door to more services and activities for our residents,” said Carla Hass, El Dorado County communications director, in a press release. n
See RED TIER, page A3
Mountain Democrat photos by Sel Richard
El Dorado High School Spanish teacher Kimberly Setterlund said she felt lucky as El Dorado Hills Fire Department firefighter/ paramedic Todd Bichel administers her COVID-19 vaccine during a clinic Saturday. “It’s nice to have it now since I see kids all the time. It’s great to have that extra reassurance.”
Highway 50 Educators line up for vaccine rollover takes lives of two Sel Richard Staff writer
feeling that much safer.” With RUSD schools opening full time on March 4, the event was a boon for many. Buckeye Union School District Superintendent Dr. David Roth said he hopes all his district’s employees who are requesting vaccinations will have received their first dose by the end of the week, in time for that district’s full-
Teachers took priority Saturday at the El Dorado Hills Fire Department’s latest COVID19 vaccination clinic, during which paramedics inoculated 440 local educators and 265 senior citizens with the Moderna vaccine. “We knew there The vaccine clinic at the El Dorado Hills Fire Department was widened was a gap for to three lanes to enable over 700 vaccinations to local teachers and teachers to get seniors with 40-plus volunteers working the event. vaccinated and that’s a statewide priority time opening March 15. right now,” said Deputy Chief Mike Lilienthal, who “At this point we have been able to provide 95% pitched the idea to El Dorado County Emergency of our employees with the opportunity for an Operations Center staff and coordinated with the El appointment,” he said, noting that although twoDorado County Office of Education. “We’re well on thirds of BUSD employees have signed up through the pathway to getting all our teachers taken care of. the district, many are receiving vaccines via alternate It’s a really cool thing.” means. “It increases everyone’s safety and it’s peace of Several district superintendents were on hand to mind for all of our teachers and support staff.” volunteer, including Rescue Union School District’s EDCOE Assistant Deputy Superintendent Kevin Cheryl Olson. “It’s been such a wonderful opportunity Monsma was checking people in and said he’s to be in our community and just see how happy pushing to get all district educators a vaccination people are,” she said, making sure paramedics had n See EDUCATORS, page A10 vaccines at the ready. “Everyone is so relieved and
Dawn Hodson Staff writer Two men lost their lives in a car crash Saturday night on Highway 50 in Placerville. Michael W. Cranfill II, 47, of Sacramento was driving a 1995 Nissan XEV6 westbound at an unknown speed around 10:48 p.m. with James M. Biggane, 57, of Carmichael in the passenger seat, according to an incident report from the California Highway Patrol. For reasons unknown to CHP investigators, Cranfill’s vehicle veered to the right and off the roadway as it approached a left curve in the highway near Placerville Drive. His vehicle struck the dirt embankment between the main portion of the highway and the onramp from Placerville Drive to westbound Highway 50. The impact caused the vehicle to roll over and come to a rest on the onramp, facing the wrong way. Cranfill was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt and during the rollover became partially ejected from the vehicle. Cranfill was transported to Marshall Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 11:37 p.m. Biggane was transported to Sutter Roseville Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries Sunday at 7:38 a.m. The cause of the collision is still under investigation, according to the CHP.
Leaders see bright future for Shingle Springs/Cameron Park Chamber Andrew Vonderschmitt Staff writer Rebecca Endres, director of customer relations at Kniesel’s Collision and longtime Shingle Springs/Cameron Park Chamber of Commerce member, was installed as board president back in November 2020. With a focus on board development and close scrutiny of defining documents, Endres said she wants to get the chamber back into full gear. Having served as secretary for several years she was a clear choice to further the organization’s mission to “advocate, promote and preserve the quality of life in (the) chamber community by means of a strong, healthy and diverse business community.” “The first thing I want to accomplish is to be a more viable resource to our
membership,” said Endres, who took the president’s role after the previous president resigned due to health issues. To accomplish that, the new president said the chamber needs to address how to stay relevant to the membership, how to represent the membership in the community and politically and how to serve as a community resource. Colette Thiel will serve as board vice president. A recent transplant and owner of Thiel Real Estate & Property Management, Thiel joined the chamber as soon as she arrived in the area. Soon thereafter she was asked to serve as a chamber ambassador. Endres said she recognized Thiel’s experience and ability to serve the chamber in a positive way and asked her to join the board in 2020. n
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Mountain Democrat photo by Andrew Vonderschmitt
Shingle Springs/Cameron Park Chamber of Commerce Vice President Colette Thiel, left, and President Rebecca Endres, have big plans for the year.
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